This invention pertains generally to the field of devices used to protect the sidewalls of tires from cuts, punctures, etc. Previous tire shield devices were placed on the outwardly facing exposed side of the tire, sometimes called the “curb side,” so that tires were protected from curb, rock, brush, or Molotov cocktail damage. In a few cases a tire sidewall shield was placed on the brake side of tires, mainly to protect tire sidewalls from rock cuts or debris that may occur underneath a vehicle. However, there is a non-obvious need to protect the sidewalls that face each other when tires are arranged in a dual tire configuration. Dual tires are commonly used on tractor trailer trucks. Current design tire side shields cannot be placed between the dual tires because of clearance issues, so there is a need for a narrow device that can prevent debris from entering the area between the duals, expel such debris and/or shield one or both tires from damage from such debris.
The Dual Tire Shield of the invention is a structure that accomplishes the aforesaid purposes. The side walls of tires are much weaker than the treads. Unlike punctures to the treads, punctures to the sidewall render the tire irreparable. The sidewalls that face each other, or inside sidewalls, on dual tires have a unique problem in that debris can be wedged in between the tires. Small debris can cause damage when caught up in the gap between tires when the tires are rotating. The foreign matter or debris can repeatedly rub or impact the tire causing damage and abrasion. Such debris can also fly out at high speed causing damage to the vehicle, other vehicles, people and property. Of greater concern than smaller debris is larger debris, with large being defined as debris having at least one dimension close to the width of the gap between the dual tires. Debris of this type has the potential to become wedged between the tires, against the sidewall or even move farther inward toward the rims, and may be flung against the wheel assembly and tire as the vehicle moves. Wedged debris between dual tires can even unseat the beadseat of one of the tires and cause a flat.
The dual tire shield prevents large debris from getting stuck between the inner sidewalls of the dual tires and/or otherwise prevents flats caused by sidewall puncture or bead de-seating due to such debris. The device accomplishes its design goals in several ways. First, the dual tire shield can block debris from entering the gap between duals and prevent debris from being wedged in the gap. In this case, both dual tire sidewalls are protected. Second, the dual tire shield can cover the sidewalls. If debris does get stuck between the tires, it will be touching the tire shield rather than the tires. Third, if the debris gets stuck between one tire and the dual tire shield, then only one tire sidewall is subject to damage rather than both, reducing possible tire damage by 50%. Fourth, the dual tire shield can be designed to eject debris from between the tires to minimize damage. Fifth, the dual tire shield may be made rigid enough to act as a runflat in case a tire goes flat regardless of the reason.
Previous devices in the field of the invention were designed to protect the outermost sidewalls of tires, but not the sidewalls that face each other in a dual tire configuration. Examples are described in U.S. Publication No. 200910315389 (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/486,404), U.S. Publication No. 2010/0066155 (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/456,250), and PCT filing WO 2009/153666 publication dated Dec. 23, 2009 for PCT/IB2009/006341 filed Jun. 18, 2009.